Sunday, June 11, 2017

AB22 Causes Uproar in the Vietnamese-American Community

SACRAMENTO – Assembly Bill 22, authored by Assemblymember Rob
Bonta (D-Oakland) sought to end a decades-old ban on members of the Communist
Party working as public employees.

The bill passed in a
41-30 vote, however, upon feedback from colleagues and concerned members of the
community, Assemblymember Bonta committed to retracting the bill before it
reaches the Senate for its first Committee hearing. This action will prevent
any further discussion of the bill in the legislature and removes the bill from
future consideration.

“AB 22 was designed to
clean up some language in the California Government Code. I certainly did not
intend to create any controversy or invoke hurtful feelings. Upon urging from
my colleagues, Assemblymembers Ash Kalra and Kansen Chu, I have decided to drop
the bill,” said Assemblymember Bonta. “I apologize for any confusion or pain
caused to the Vietnamese-American community and some veterans who expressed
deep concern in the past few days.”

“I am grateful to
Assemblymember Bonta for listening to the concerns I raised regarding AB 22 and
the pain it has caused many in my community and throughout the state,” said
Assemblymember Kalra. “By dropping this bill, Mr. Bonta has shown respect and
understanding for the real pain caused to our Vietnamese-American community and
many veterans by the communist regime in Vietnam that still commits human
rights abuses to this day.”

Assemblymember Kalra has
been an outspoken critic of the communist regime of Vietnam. He has attended
numerous rallies and vigils protesting the Formosa steel plant tragedy that
poisoned the water in central Vietnam. He has vocally protested against ongoing
human rights abuses by the Vietnamese government, including arrests of
protesters, activists and bloggers who have been critical of the Vietnamese
government.

Last month, Assemblymember
Kalra presented the Black April Resolution on the floor of the State Assembly
in partnership with Senators Janet Nguyen and Jim Beall. The resolution
included a statement that condemned current human rights abuses by the
Vietnamese communist regime.